“I’m a young guy and I’ve been on the road for a year since the album came out but I’m not drinking to excess. I’m drinking in moderation.

“At one point I was drinking too much and falling into the rock-star-on-the-road cliché.

“Then I got stomach acid problems and, because of that, I’ve reduced my drinking in order to play gigs every night.”

OK, the old Ashlee Simpson-tested acid reflux excuse exonerates him from boozehound allegations…so why does Paolo seem so, well, slurry? It’s just the way he is, he says: “I naturally mumble anyway so maybe they think I’m a drunk, mumbling Scotsman. That’s fine – I’ve met many in my time and it has only added to their charm.”